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Brief Synopsis

A lawyer and a widow encounter murder on a train ride.

After winning $50,000 and a trip to New York City on the "Treasure Ship" radio contest, widow Hattie O'Malley of Proudfoot, Montana, boards a train destined for the East coast. En route, Hattie reads her favorite true crime magazine, featuring an article on the exploits of Chicago attorney and criminologist John J. Malone. At about the same time, Malone, an alcoholic playboy who has squandered all his money and has been missing for days, is found in a morgue, sleeping off the effects of a drinking binge. When Malone returns to his office, he learns that one of his clients, Steve Kepplar, has just "graduated" from Joliet prison and is on his way to New York. Having worked hard to win Kepplar's parole, Malone boards the same train to New York on which Hattie is traveling to collect the $10,000 that the ex-convict owes him for his services. Also traveling on the same train are Tim Marino, a Chicago detective who believes that Kepplar will attempt to get at the $100,000 that he stole from a bank and hid; Kepplar's ex-wife Connie, who is seeking her alimony payments; Myron Brynk, Kepplar's former business partner; and Myron's fortune-hunting girl friend, Lola Gillway. Soon after Malone meets and falls instantly in love with Hattie's beautiful niece Joanie, an argument breaks out among Marino, Connie and the others over who will be the first to get Kepplar's money. The argument is settled by Marino, however, when he reminds everyone that the money is stolen loot and that only the bank is entitled to it. The double-crossing Lola hides Kepplar, now disguised as a sailor, in her room and schemes to split the money with him. Hattie becomes an unwitting participant in the intrigue when she discovers the murdered body of Kepplar in her compartment. Realizing that he and Hattie are being framed for the murder, Malone removes Kepplar's body to the train's ladies lounge. A short time later, Lola is found murdered in Hattie's cabin, and Marino arrests her and Malone. Things look bad for Hattie and Malone until Malone frees himself and forces a confession from Brynk. Brynk says enough to clear Malone, but Malone interrupts the confession when Brynk indicates that he will hire Malone to be his attorney.